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Tuesday, 02 September 2025
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Written by Katie Herring
“Tumble out of bed and stumble to the kitchen, pour myself a cup of ambition, and yawn and stretch and try to come to life.”
If you read those words and started tapping your toes and imagined the sound of typewriter keys, then you will definitely want to make plans to see Cape Fear Regional Theatre’s season opener 9 to 5: The Musical, running from September 4-28. Described by director Robert Schneider as a “two-and-a-half-hour party” that is a celebration of life, courage, friendship, and coming into yourself, 9 to 5 is as thought-provoking and poignant as it is funny, irreverent, and uplifting.
The Play
Based on the hit film from 1980 that featured the powerhouse trio of Dolly Parton, Lily Tomlin, and Jane Fonda, 9 to 5 tells the story of three women working in the big city corporate world who have had enough of their boss’s misogynistic bullying and sexual harassment. They take matters into their own hands to teach him a lesson.
The musical features all the same beloved characters, along with those we love to hate; it tells the same story, just with song and dance added to the mix.
Fans of the film will recognize a lot of the script, as much of the dialogue is taken straight from the movie. Patricia Resnick, who wrote the screenplay, also wrote the book (the spoken dialogue) for the musical. The music and lyrics were written by Dolly Parton herself. But, if you’ve never seen the film, worry not! The musical stands on its own with an empowering story, relatable characters, and non-stop laughs.
The three leading ladies are very different from one another, but share a commonality: they have been told in some way they can’t do something, and they decide to do it anyway.
Judy Bernly, played by Jodi Bluestein, is a recently divorced housewife who is trying to navigate her first job ever. Bluestein points out that Judy “is learning to walk in literal [and figurative] new shoes.”
Doralee Rhodes, played by Livi Rose, is constantly underestimated, judged, and isolated due to being the “pretty young thing” that is the object of the boss’s flirtation. She is courageous and has a fiery side, and decides she is not going to take it anymore.
Violet Newstead, played by Heather Setzler, is the brains behind the office’s operation, who is constantly overlooked for promotions and recognition, simply because she is a woman. They have a common nemesis, their boss Franklin Hart Jr., played by Robert Newman, the Vice President of their company, who is known for his bullying and womanizing.
Throughout the play, we get glimpses into their inner lives and thoughts, as Judy, Doralee, and Violet put their heads together to put Mr. Hart in his place and show him and everyone else what they’re made of. While the ladies’ treatment of Mr. Hart might be better described as justice, their treatment of each other and those around them is characterized by kindness.
While the play is set in the 1980s, the ideas and the characters are still relevant
and relatable.
“For better or worse,” says Livi Rose, “I think we’ve all lived versions of these characters in some way.”
The three leading ladies are shining examples of courage. They show how one can decide to “keep finding the sun,” even in dark times, decide to stand up for oneself, and not just take what the world hands out. It is a story with an important, thought-provoking, and empowering message, wrapped up in a high-energy, hilarious package.
The People
As is the case with any play, a great story, script, and music need a great company to bring it all to life onstage, and this production of 9 to 5 certainly has that! The 18-person cast is a combination of local talent and actors from “out of town,” newcomers making their CFRT debut and familiar faces to the CFRT audience. The cast is led by the equally talented and accomplished creative team, including director Robert W. Schneider, music director James Clark Jr, and choreographer Antionette DiPietropolo.
Robert Newman and Jodi Bluestein were both in CFRT’s 2019 production of Annie as Daddy Warbucks and Lilly St. Regis (respectively). When asked what brought them back to Fayetteville and Cape Fear Regional Theatre, Bluestein, who is from Manhattan, said part of what brought her back to this theatre is that she “felt very cared for by the theatre and everyone that works here. It was also just artistically fulfilling…and the quality of what we did was great.”
Newman was slated to be in the 2020 production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime that was cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions, echoes Bluestein’s sentiments. He said he’s been waiting for a chance to come back and added that Mary Kate Burke, CFRT’s artistic director, had a lot to do with his desire to return.
“I work in theatres all over the country and…she’s really special…she has really done some extraordinary things for this theatre. Sometimes you work with somebody and you’re like, boy, I can’t wait to work with them again.”
They all, including director Robert Schneider and Livi Rose, point to the helpful and efficient staff, including a “wonderful stage manager,” who, through thorough planning and efficient communication, who helps everything run smoothly.
Schneider also pointed to another unique attribute of CFRT: the community.
“I’ve got to work in a lot of theatres. I’ve not found a community that takes such pride in their theatre, the way this community does…it’s incredible.” His insight was shared by other cast members who are from “out of town.” They echoed the sentiment that we, in the Fayetteville area, are well aware of what a special institution we have in Cape Fear Regional Theatre.
The show is scheduled to run for most of the month of September. Tickets are on sale now, and they are going quickly. As with all CFRT shows, they host audience outreach nights that offer a discount for certain members of the community: Military Appreciation Night on Wednesday, Sept. 10, and Educator Appreciation Night on Friday, Sept. 12.
Opening weekend features two special events: Thursday, Sept. 4, the first preview performance is the “Welcome Back Bash” to celebrate the first show of the 25-26 season. This event starts at 6:45 and features complimentary snacks and signature Dolly-Style cocktails.
Friday, September 5, is “Tumble Out of Bed Night” and the audience is invited to wear their pajamas and “tumble out of bed and stumble to the theatre for our cozy preview night, featuring coffee cocktails, snacks, and a whole lot of 9-to-5 energy-just the jolt your weekend needs!”
This high-energy, fun-filled season opener is not to be missed. Tickets can be purchased online at cfrt.org or by calling the box office at 910-323-4234.
(Photos courtesy of Cape Fear Regional Theatre)
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Tuesday, 19 August 2025
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Written by Adam Taylor
Sunset Boulevard (1950), one of the most iconic and haunting American film noirs, returns to the big screen for a special 75th anniversary screening at the Cameo Art House Theatre on Saturday, Aug. 23 at 4:30 p.m.
This cinematic masterpiece, directed by Billy Wilder and co-written with Charles Brackett and D.M. Marshman Jr. is widely regarded as one of the greatest achievements in the history of Hollywood. It is a bold, darkly satirical look at the inner workings of the film industry and the psychological toll of fame and rejection. At its core, Sunset Boulevard is a story of ambition, delusion and tragedy.
The film features a stunning performance by Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond, a once-glorious silent film star who has become a recluse in her decaying Los Angeles mansion. Norma clings desperately to the illusion that she is still beloved by the public and destined for a triumphant return to the screen. When Joe Gillis (William Holden), a struggling screenwriter, stumbles into her life, she sees him as the perfect person to help revive her career. What begins as a professional arrangement quickly descends into a twisted and claustrophobic relationship built on manipulation, loneliness and despair.
Swanson’s portrayal of Norma is one of the most powerful in cinematic history. She embodies the character with equal parts grandeur and fragility, delivering iconic lines such as “I am big. It’s the pictures that got small.” Her performance is not just memorable, it’s unforgettable. Holden's cynical, weary screenwriter serves as the perfect contrast, a man trying to survive in a town that chews up dreams and spits them out.
Adding further depth to the film is the eerie performance of Erich von Stroheim as Max, Norma’s devoted but mysterious butler, who harbors secrets of his own. Von Stroheim, himself a once-celebrated director of the silent era, adds a meta-textual layer to the film’s already rich narrative, blurring the line between fiction and reality. Named after the legendary street that winds through Los Angeles and Beverly Hills, Sunset Boulevard is a film about the myths of Hollywood. We see the dreams it sells and the people it leaves behind. It is a cautionary tale about the cost of celebrity and the isolation that can come from living in the past.
The film was a commercial and critical success upon its release and has only grown in esteem over the decades. It received 11 Academy Award nominations and won three, including Best Screenplay, Best Art Direction and Best Score. In 1998, the American Film Institute ranked it the 12th greatest American film of all time, and it has since been selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
For film students, writers, actors and creatives in the community, Sunset Boulevard is essential viewing. It’s a masterclass in screenwriting, acting, direction and visual storytelling. Billy Wilder’s writing is sharp and layered, packed with metaphor, irony, and unforgettable dialogue. Swanson’s performance offers a complex, vulnerable look at a woman caught between glory and ruin.
It’s a movie that remains as relevant as ever, particularly in today’s celebrity-driven culture. It poses questions that are still being asked: What happens when fame fades? What do we become when we are no longer seen?
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